A two-week loop from Miami: the Overseas Highway to Key West, the Everglades via the Tamiami Trail, the Gulf coast from Naples to Tampa, then Orlando, St. Augustine and the Space Coast.
| Days | Stop | Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1 to 2 | Miami | Start |
| Days 3 to 4 | Key West | 258 km · 4h05 |
| Day 5 | Florida City | 203 km · 3h20 |
| Day 6 | Naples | 196 km · 3h |
| Days 7 to 8 | Sarasota | 282 km · 4h05 |
| Day 9 | Tampa | 98 km · 1h25 |
| Days 10 to 11 | Orlando | 136 km · 1h40 |
| Day 12 | St. Augustine | 169 km · 2h10 |
| Day 13 | Cocoa Beach | 216 km · 3h |
| Day 14 | Back to Miami | 315 km · 3h55 |
Road route calculated from the stops (OpenStreetMap). Driving times assume no stops and no traffic: add time for photo breaks.
From November to April: the dry season in the Everglades (November to March according to the park), with car hire prices at their highest in December. Hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November, peaking from mid-August to mid-October.
🚗 258 km · 4h05 of driving from Miami
US 1 (Overseas Highway), often two-lane, from island to island and bridge to bridge. Mile markers count down to 0 at Key West.
🚗 203 km · 3h20 of driving from Key West
Back along US 1, the only road through the Keys. Florida City, at the end of the Turnpike, is the main gateway to the Everglades.
🚗 196 km · 3h of driving from Florida City
The Tamiami Trail (US 41) runs dead straight through the swamps; detour along Route 29 to Everglades City.
🚗 282 km · 4h05 of driving from Naples
US 41 to Fort Myers, detour to Sanibel (toll bridge heading onto the island), then the I-75 north.
🚗 98 km · 1h25 of driving from Sarasota
I-275 over the Sunshine Skyway bridge, cashless toll, then St. Petersburg and across Tampa Bay.
🚗 136 km · 1h40 of driving from Tampa
The I-4 all the way, busy at rush hour and around the theme parks.
🚗 169 km · 2h10 of driving from Orlando
I-4 then I-95 north, toll-free interstates apart from the express lanes.
🚗 216 km · 3h of driving from St. Augustine
I-95 south to Titusville, Route 405 to the Kennedy Space Center, then across Merritt Island to the sea.
🚗 315 km · 3h55 of driving from Cocoa Beach
Keep Miami, the Keys, the Everglades and the Gulf coast as far as Sarasota (1 night), then cut across to Orlando (2 nights) and return to Miami on the Turnpike: 9 nights. Tampa, St. Augustine and the Space Coast are dropped.
| Car, Miami, September | ≈ $25 a day (€22) |
|---|---|
| Car, Miami, December | ≈ $45 a day (€39) |
| SUV, Miami | ≈ $45 a day (€39) |
| Convertible, Miami | ≈ $68 a day (€60) |
| Car, Orlando, January | ≈ $26 a day (€23) |
| Car, Orlando, December | ≈ $39 a day (€34) |
| Vehicle | Saloon or small SUV: every road on the loop is flat and paved. |
|---|---|
| Where to pick it up | Miami Airport (MIA), returning there: the loop avoids one-way fees. |
| Tolls | Accept the rental company's electronic toll programme: Toll-By-Plate is not open to hire cars. |
| Insurance | Take the LDW or CDW (damage to the vehicle) and supplementary liability cover (LIS or SLI). |
| Age | 20 at Hertz, 21 at Enterprise; surcharge of about $25 a day under 25. |
| Licence and card | Hertz requires a licence held for over a year, a passport in the same name and a bank card in the driver's name. |
| Deposit | At Hertz Miami, up to $200 blocked on top of the rental, $500 on a debit card. |
| Prices recorded | Kayak averages for September 2026, excluding insurance and toll fees. |
⚠️ Tolls go through the rental company's programme, billed at the highest rate plus service fees: read the terms at the desk.
Florida accepts a valid foreign licence from age 18. An International Driving Permit is recommended.
As in mainland Europe. Automatic gearbox on almost all hire cars.
30 mph in towns, 55 elsewhere unless signposted, 65 on divided four-lane highways outside built-up areas.
0.02% under 21. First offence: a fine of up to $1,000 and 6 months in prison.
The Turnpike has been fully electronic since 2021. With a hire car, the rental company bills at the highest rate plus fees.
Giving way to pedestrians and traffic, unless a sign prohibits it.
Phone in hand banned in school zones and active work zones.
Also compulsory in smoke and fog, and from sunset to sunrise.
Emergency vehicle, tow truck or broken-down car with warning signals; on a two-lane road, slow to 20 mph below the limit.
A single road links the Keys to the mainland: 12 to 24 hours to evacuate them. Leave as soon as the evacuation order is given.
≈ €1.01 per litre ($4.38 a gallon, AAA Florida average, September 2026)
Price recorded in September 2026: it changes every week, sometimes by 10 to 20 cents in a month. Today's price: AAA Gas Prices →
⛽ 1,873 km at 7 l per 100 km: about €130 at September 2026 prices, to share between passengers.
Up about $1.35 a gallon in a year. With a non-US card, pay inside at the till if the pump asks for a ZIP code.
| Florida's Turnpike and express lanes | Cashless: rental company's programme or SunPass |
|---|---|
| Overseas Highway (US 1, Keys) | Free |
| Sanibel bridge | $6 towards the island with an electronic tag, $9 without |
| Sunshine Skyway (I-275) | $1.16 with SunPass, $1.75 by plate |
| Everglades | $35 per vehicle plus $100 per non-resident aged 16 and over, card only |
| Canaveral National Seashore | $25 per vehicle, card only |
| Castillo de San Marcos | $15 per adult, free under 16 |
| America the Beautiful non-resident pass | $250, covers these three federal sites and the surcharge |
| Keys and Gulf coast | Evacuations when a hurricane approaches, especially from mid-August to mid-October |
|---|---|
| Shark Valley (Everglades) | Cars admitted from 08:30 to 18:00 |
| Merritt Island refuge | Access restricted by NASA depending on launches |
| Old Seven Mile Bridge | Pedestrians and cyclists only, as far as Pigeon Key |
Two weeks for the full loop: 13 nights, 9 stages and rarely more than four hours' driving a day. In 10 days, keep Miami, the Keys, the Everglades and the Gulf coast as far as Sarasota, then return via Orlando. In under a week, stick to Miami, the Keys and the Everglades.
Excluding flights and accommodation: about $325 to $585 of car hire over 13 days ($25 to $45 a day depending on the month, Kayak), about €130 of fuel at September 2026 prices for about 1,850 km, $235 entry to the Everglades for a non-resident couple, plus tolls and the rental company's toll fees.
There are no more booths or cash on the Turnpike. Toll-By-Plate is not open to hire cars: tolls go through the rental company's programme, billed at the highest rate plus service fees. If you have a SunPass account, add the car's plate and the rental dates to it.
Yes, since 2026: the Everglades are one of the 11 national parks that charge $100 per non-resident aged 16 and over, on top of the $35 per vehicle. A couple pays $235. The non-resident annual pass ($250) waives the surcharge and also covers Canaveral and the Castillo de San Marcos.
Yes, but with cancellable bookings. The season runs from 1 June to 30 November, with most activity between mid-August and mid-October; Milton made landfall near Siesta Key on 9 October 2024. The Keys have only one road to the mainland: leave as soon as the evacuation order is given.
Yes: Florida law accepts a valid foreign licence from age 18 for a non-resident. An International Driving Permit is recommended; apply for it in the country that issued your licence, well before departure. Hertz also asks for your passport.
Driving rules, prices and closures checked in September 2026; hotels checked on OpenStreetMap and then on Booking. Rules change: read the official source before you leave, and check your own government's travel advice for the country. Stop photos: Wikimedia Commons, authors and licences under each image.
Off We Gooo road trip guide · offwegooo.com/en/road-trips/florida · by Pierrick, updated 1 October 2026
